Assighob



Jan. 21, 1930. T. s. KEMBLE 1,744,168

SPRING MOUNTING FOR AUTO BUSSES, TRUCKS, ETC

Original Filed July 2, 1924 Patented Jan. 21, 193

THQMAS 8. KEHBLE, OF LAKEWOOD, OEIG, ASBIGNOB TO UNIVERSAL GAB EZEETBIGCOMPANY, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF DELA'W 1.

SPRING ID IOUNTING- IOR AUTO B'UESES, 'JJIlEt'U'GKS, ETC.

original application filed July 2, 1924, Serial M invention relatesespecially to busses, emp oyed for the transportation of persons,

both. in the city and in interurban trafic, in

which two pairs of axles are mounted in tandem, as in the rear drivingassembl of sixcarried through the springs, when the brakes than thewheel axle centers are applied harshly, there-1s a tendency for therearward axle to rise from .the ground, or to rear, and that thistendency reduces the possible braking effort at this axle and throws anundue braking service on.the forward axle. It has the reverse effectwhen driving forward, and in either case tends to cause slipping betweenthe ground and .the wheels on the axle which is tending to rear. It mayalso have an undesirable eifect upon the riding qualities of thevehicle.

My invention has for its object, to provide for the location of thespring pivots lower thus reducing this well known tendency of the reartruck to rear.

This construction permits the manufacture of a truck having a minimumground clearance, for as the body moves down (relative to the axle), themotor moves down a less distance, thus approaching the body or chassis,and the clearance between the chassis and the road need be only thedifference between the vertical motion of the motor and body, plus aslight clearance between the motor and body of chassis, plus thevertical depth of the motor, plus the minimum temporary' groundclearance; whereas in the standard practice, the clearance between thebod and road must be the vertical motion of the body relative to theroad, plus the sli ht clearance between the motor and body, p us thevertical depth of the motor, plus the maximum permanent groundclearance.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art, that locatin thespring eye below the center wheel re uces the torque reaction at thetorque ball. Furthermore, the spring acts as a radius rodcounter-balancing the tractive effort, for, obviously, if it werepossible No. meme. mvided and this application filed Jane M, 1%?- SerialIto. 198,663.

to locate the spring eye on the ground, there would be no torquereaction at the ball.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readilyunderstood by having reference to the accompan ing drawings, which arehereunto annexe and are a part of this specification, in which- Fig. 1is a lan view of a fragmentary portion of a c assis equipped with myimproved spring mounting;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, showing my manner of mounting thespring on the cross member of the chassis.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entiredescription.

As shown in the drawings, the chassis 1 is provided with a four-wheelelectric drive, consistin of'two pair of electric motors, 2 and 3, w ichare secured to a cross-frame member 4 through a torque system 5, thisdrive formin the sub'ect matter of my copending app ication, erial No.723,772, of which this is a division.

The motors 2 and 3 drive the wheels 16, through a train of gears (notshown) the motor frames and gear casing forming the load-carrying axles.The cross member 4 is secured to the chassis 1 b means of bolts 6 and 7,which pass throug brackets 8 and 9 which are riveted, or otherwisesecured, to the chassis 1.. A longitudinal bearing 10 is formed in eachend of the cross member 4. A trunnion or pivot 11 is mounted in saidbearing 10, and t e srings 12 are secured thereto by means of U- olts 13and 14, which pass around a bearing mounted on the trunnion 11 and thenthrough a spring plate 15. The

not at all with the intention of limiting myself to such details, asobviously many changes in construction may bemade and still embody myinvention of locating the spring pivot or mounting below the center ofthe wheels of the vehicle.

Having described my invention, what I regard as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a vehicle two driving axles, arranged in tandem, wheels on saidaxles, a pair of springs mounted adjacent the ends of said axles, andsecured directly thereto, a pair of trunnions mounted lower than thecenters of the wheels, said springs being mounted on said trunnions, theconnections between the axles, springs and trunnions being arran edtotransmit the driving and braking'efiort etween said vehicle and saidaxles.

2. In a vehicle having a chassis with side and cross frame members, adrive comprising two driving axles arranged in tandem, wheels on saidaxles, a air of trunnions mounted in said cross mem er, below the centerof the said wheels a spring ivotall secured to each trunnion, the ends 0each 0 the springs being secured directly to its adjacent axle, saidsprings and trunnions bein arranged to transmit the driving and bra ingeffort between said vehicle and said axles.

THOMAS S. KEMIBLE.

